Posted on 04/02/2003 3:50:56 PM PST by Grymskull
Published on March 31, 2003 Letters to the Editor: Professor Qualifies Quotation in Article and Addresses Criticism
To the Editor: Spectator, now for the second time in less than a year, has succeeded to quote me in a remarkably decontextualized and inflammatory manner. In Margaret Hunt Gram's report on the faculty teach-in against the war in Iraq (March 27, 2003), I am quoted as wishing for a million Mogadishus but with no indication whatsoever of the perspective that framed that remark. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that your Staff Editorial in the same issue, denouncing the teach-in for "dogmatism," situates me in particular as the premier example of an academic "launching tirades against anything and everything American."
In my brief presentation, I outlined a long history of U.S. invasions, wars of conquest, military occupations, and colonization in order to establish that imperialism and white supremacy have been constitutive of U.S. nation-state formation and U.S. nationalism. In that context, I stressed the necessity of repudiating all forms of U.S. patriotism. I also emphasized that the disproportionate majority of U.S. troops come from racially subordinated and working-class backgrounds and are in the military largely as a consequence of a treacherous lack of prospects for a decent life. Nonetheless, I emphasized that U.S. troops are indeed confronted with a choice--to perpetrate this war against the Iraqi people or to refuse to fight and contribute toward the defeat of the U.S. war machine.
I also affirmed that Iraqi liberation can only be effected by the Iraqi people themselves, both by resisting and defeating the U.S. invasion as well as overthrowing a regime whose brutality was long sustained by none other than the U.S. Such an anti-colonial struggle for self-determination might involve a million Mogadishus now but would ultimately have to become something more like another Vietnam. Vietnam was a stunning defeat for U.S. imperialism; as such, it was also a victory for the cause of human self-determination.
Is this a tirade against "anything and everything American"? Far from it. First, I hasten to remind you that "American" refers to all of the Americas, not merely to the United States, as U.S. imperial chauvinism would have it. More importantly, my rejection of U.S. nationalism is an appeal to liberate our own political imaginations such that we might usher in a radically different world in which we will not remain the prisoners of U.S. global domination.
Nicholas De Genova March 27, 2003 The author is an assistant professor of anthropology and latina/o studies.
In my brief presentation, I outlined a long history of U.S. invasions, wars of conquest, military occupations, and colonization in order to establish that imperialism and white supremacy have been constitutive of U.S. nation-state formation and U.S. nationalism.
In other words.. Dispite the fact that the US has FREED more people in modern history and time and time agian have assisted in if not totally rebuilt nations that we have had to fight in war and ultimately gave control back.. I'm going to overlook that and say that America is evil and because my family was probably poor somewhere in a foriegn country and It has to be the US racist white people that caused it...
I also emphasized that the disproportionate majority of U.S. troops come from racially subordinated and working-class backgrounds and are in the military largely as a consequence of a treacherous lack of prospects for a decent life.
In other words.. in order to prove even more of how much and ASSHATTED MORON I am.. I'm gonna totally ignore the fact that military service men and women could probably make more working at McDonalds (they are always hiring), and that the military is a currently volunteer organization. And it's irrelavant that a majority of people that join the military are well educated and go thru a strengent entrance process. And that a majority of people that serve in the service of our country do so proudly with integrity, honor and pride. But that doesn't matter because I get paid a lot of money to spit on them while (cough) educating others to be anti-american and use the "Rights" that they willingly protect to spew my message of how to hate america... Oh yeah.. did I mention I get paid a lot of money to do that.. It probably should go to the military because they are the ones that would defend me if Canada invades.. But then again I'd let the Canadians take over.. cuz I'm to much of a coward to even face the public after making those stupid remarks..
More importantly, my rejection of U.S. nationalism is an appeal to liberate our own political imaginations such that we might usher in a radically different world in which we will not remain the prisoners of U.S. global domination.
Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev,Andropov, Chernenko, Gorbachev, just didn't do it right... Castro and other modern Socialist/Communist leaders are faring well.. Hell just gotta give it a shot here in the US.. Regardless of the fact that it would take away my right to sit here and be a total ASSHATTED ASSCLOWN and spew this garbage across college campuses.. oh.. did I mention I get paid alot and I hide if people disagree with me or get mad when i'm being an ASSCLOWN!...
All I gotta say.... is De Genova... Make that speech again.. this time do it at a Marine Corp Bootcamp Graduation....
Forgive my bad spelling and grammar and all that.. was typing on the fly while thoughts were pouting out...
Someone give him Martin Sheen's piece of "Peace" duct tape.
In that context, I stressed the necessity of repudiating all forms of U.S. patriotism.Oh, well, if you put it that way.
What an unabashed piece of dung (with apologies to dung piles everywhere for the defamation).
Where do they find these a@@holes? Is this happening in every University? Is it all this bad?
So, as someone much smarter than me has said, in what context would his remarks be acceptable?
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